Valve device



April I, 1952 BENT 2,591,118

VALVE DEVICE Filed Nov. 50, 1949 20 25 2| 24 4 ||l6 IO 12 I3 5 I4 INVENTOR. ARTHUR J. BENT AT TO RN EY Patented Apr. 1, 1952 VALVE DEVICE Arthur J. Bent, Penn Township,

Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Air County,

Allegheny Brake Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 30, 1949, Serial No. 130,259

This invention relates to a manually operative control valve device and more particularly to the snap acting type.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved valve device of the above type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively small, easily, manually operated snap acting valve device for controlling, such as from the pilots compartment of an airplane, the operation of any remotely located two position device such as the valve in a fuel line on the plane or the operation of a plane bomb door or landing gear.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic view, mainly in section, of a fluid pressure control system embodying, in vertical section, a control device constructed in ac cordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Description 7 In the leg of the T is a chamber 8 open to a pipe 9.

The body 3 has a bore l extending in the direction of the opposite ends of the T, one end of said bore being separated from chamber 4 by a wall while the opposite end of said bore opens to the bottom of a counterbore l2 separated from one end of chamber 5 by a valve seat element l3 secured in said body by screwthreaded engagement. The opposite end of chamber 5 is closed by a removable cap M to which the pipe I is connected.

Slidably mounted in the bore II] is a valve element l5 one end of which carries a valve l6 for cooperation with a seat I! provided in the partition wall around a passage through said wall from chamber 4 to a chamber I9 formed betweensaid wall and the said end of said valve. The opposite end of valve element I5 is connected by'an element 20 slidable in bore ID to a valve 2| of greater cross-sectional area than valve element I5 and disposed within counterbore l2 and having a diameter less than said counterbore, said valve being arranged to cooperate with a resilient seat 22 carried by element l3 and encircling a vent port 23 leading to l8 extending 3 Claims. (Cl.'121-46.5)

chamber 5. For a reason which will hereinafter appear the size of the vent port 23 is made such that its cross-sectional area is less than the difference between the cross-sectional areas of the bore l2 and of the valve 2|. A spring 24 supported at one end on the element and hearing against the seat element l3, acts on the valve 2| for urging it in a direction away from said seat element and to a position in which the valve l 6 is seated on its seat H to close the communication through the bore I8 between the chambers 4 and I9.

Clamped between the element 20 and the valve element I5 and valve 2| are, respectively, two gasket rings 25 each having sealing and sliding contact with the wall of the bore I0.

Disposed in a recess 26 formed in the element 20 is one end 21 of an operators handle 23 which is fulcrumed on a pin 29 carried by 9. lug 30 formed integral with the body 3.

Formed in the body 3 is a passageway 3| opening at its right hand end into the counterbore l2. Screw-threaded in the casing adjacent the chamber I9 is a choke fitting 32 having a bore 33 opening said chamber to the left hand end of passageway 3|. To provide for assembling the choke 32 in the passageway 3| and to permit the removal of said choke a plug 34, located coaxial with said coke, is screw-threaded into the body 3. The passageway 3| is open through a port 35 to chamber 8.

The single acting fluid pressure motor 2 comprises a cup shaped cylinder body 36 and a piston 31 adapted for reciprocation within said cylinder. The piston 31 divides the cylinder into two chambers 38 and 39, the chamber 38 being connected by the pipe 9 to the chamber 8 of the control valve device I. Disposed in the chamber 39 between the piston 31 and a pressure head 40 is a return spring 4| for urging the piston 31 in the direction of the left hand toward a wall 42 constituting a part of the cylinder body 36. Secured to the piston 31 is a piston rod 43 which projects through a bore 44 in the pressure head 40. The piston rod 43 may be connected through suitable links or levers (not shown) to a fuel supply valve, a bomb door or any other device which it is desired to operate.

Operation In operation, let it be assumed that the reservoir 6 is charged with fluid under pressure and that handle 28 occupies the position indicated by a dash and dot line 45. In this position of the handle 28 the supply valve IE will be seated on the seat I! by the spring 24 to close communication between the chamber 4 and the chamber l9, and the exhaust valve 2| will be moved out of engagement with the seat 22 to establish a fluid pressure communication be" lished between the counterbore tween the'counterbore I2 and the chamber! through the port 23 in the valve seat element I3. With a fluid pressure communication establ2 and the chamber 5, the chamber 38 in the fluid motor 2 will be vented to pipe 1 through pipe 9, chamber 8, passageway 3|, counterbore I2, vent port 23, and chamber 5. With chamber 38 .thus vented, the spring 4| will be rendered effective to force the piston 3! and rod 43' in the direction of the left hand until the piston 31 engages the wall 42. The fuel supply valve or other device (not shown) which may be operatively connected to the piston rod 43 will thus be moved to one position.

When it is desired to move the fuel supply valve or other device connected to the piston rod 43 to another position, the pilot will rock the handle 28 counter-clcckwiseabout the pin 29 fromthe position indicated by the dot and dash line 45 toward the position in which it is shown in the drawing. As the handle 28 is thus rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, the end 21 thereof will be forced against the right hand side of the recess 26, to cause the element 20 to slide in the bore l3 in the direction of the right hand against the force of the spring 24, thereby pulling the valve l6 away from the seat l1 and moving valve 2| in the direction of the seat 22. Upon the valve l6 moving out of engagementwith its seat IT, a fluid pressure communication is established between the chambers 4 and l9 whereupon fluid under pressure from the reservoir 5, which is present in the chamber 4, flows into the chamber l9 and thence through choke 32 to passage3l. The choke 32 however prevents the flow of fluid under pressure from l the chamber IE! to the passageway 3| and chamber 8 as rapidly as it is supplied to the chamber i9 through the passage IS in the wall I Therefore, there will be a rapid rise in pressure in the chamber l9. As soon as the valve I6 moves out of engagement with the seat I? the entire area of the valve element I is subjected to the pressure of fluid in the chamber I9. The rapid rise in pressure in the chamber I!) combined with the comparatively large area of the valve l5 now exposed to such pressure, quickly produces a force sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 24. This force acting on the valve element l5 in the direction of the right hand displaces said valve 7 element, the element 29 and the exhaust valve 2| in said directionwith a snap action until the exhaust valve 2| engages the seat 22. Upon the exhaust valve 2| engaging the seat 22 the exhaust communication between the chamber 8' and the chamber5 is closed. Therefore," the fluid under pressure supplied from chamber I9 'to passageway 3! and chamber 8 through the choke 32 at, a rate controlledaccording to the size of the bore 33 in said choke will flow. into pipe 3 and thence to the chamber 38 at the left hand side of the piston 3'1. As fluid under pressure is thus supplied to the chamber 38, piston 3'! will be displaced in the direction of the right hand against the force of the spring 4| until the fuel supply valve or other device connnecte'd to the piston rod 43 reaches its other position. The fluid under pressure supplied'to the passageway 3l through the choke 32 upon the unseating of the supply valve, l3 from its seat I! also flows to the counterbore I2 and there acts upon the valve 2 The valve 2|. being of greater area than valve I5 is' thus pressed against the seat 22 by the combined forces of fluid under 4 pressure acting on the difference in areas of said valves plus its action in chamber H! on the valve element l5 whereby the valve I6 will be positively held open.

. From the foregoing description it is apparent that it is only necessary for the pilot to rock the handle 28 in a counter-clockwise direction a distance sufficient to unseat the valve l6 whereupon said valve and the exhaust valve 2| will snap to the position in which they are shown in the drawing and remain in such position independently of manual force on said handle.

With the parts of the valve device I and fluid motor 2 occupying the position in which they are shown in the drawing, let it be assumed that the pilot desires to move thefuel supply valve or other device connected to the piston rod 43 to its hereinbefore first mentioned one position. To accomplish this, the pilot will rock the handle 28 clockwise about the pin 29 from the position in which it is shown in the drawing toward the position indicated by the dot and dash line 45. As the handle 28' is thus rocked in a clockwise direction, the end 21 thereof will be forced against the left hand wall of the recess 26 and the valve element i5, the element 20, and the valve 2| will be displaced in the direction of the left hand. The initialmovement of the valve. 2| away from the seat 22 establishes a fluid pres sure communication between the passageway3| and the right hand side of the valve 2| through the clearance space between the valve'2 and the wall of the bore l2. V

Fluid under pressure present in passageway 3| and chamber 8 will then suddenly flow to the right hand side of valve 2|. As has been herein-'- before explained, the area of the vent port 23 is less than the area of the clearance space between the bore l2 and the valve 2|. Therefore fluid under pressure cannot escape from the chamber at the right hand side of the valve 2| as fast as it is being supplied thereto and the pressure will rapidly rise in said chamber to substantial equalization with the pressure in passageway 3|. Upon the pressure, acting on the right hand side of the valve 2| becoming substantially equal to that in the passageway 3|, the pressure in the passageway 3| acting on the area of valve 3|in excess of the area of valve element |5 is no longer effective to bias said valve in the direction of the right hand, while the pressure acting'on the right hand side of the valve 2| over anareae'dual to the area of the valve element l5, supplements the force of spring 24- to-provide a force'which Will displace the element 20, valve element l5, and valve 2lin the direction of the left hand with a snap action until the valve [6 engages the seat ll. Upon the valve |-6- engaging the seat l! the supply communication between the reservoir 6 and the passageway 3| is closed. Therefore the fluid under pressure present in the chamber 'l9'around the valve seat H, in passagewayj3|, and also in the chamber 8,-pipe9 and chamber 33 of motor 2 will flow through the clearance space between the wall of bore l2 and the shouldered portion of" the valve 2|; thence through the vent port 23'to chamber 5 from whence it flows through'the pipe I to the sump or atmosphere until the pressure in the chamber 38 has reduced to the pressure in the sump or to atmospheric pressure. This'venting of fluid under pressure from chamber l9 after seating of valve It will renderthespring 24 effective to positively hold said valve seated.

As'the pressure in the chamber 38 is reduced as explained in the preceding paragraph, the spring 4| is rendered efiective to displace the piston 31 and rod 43 in the direction of the left hand back to the one position above mentioned defined by said piston engaging the wall 42.

Summary It will now be seen that I have provided a manually operative control valve device having means operative to move either a supply valve or an exhaust valve into engagement with its respective seat with a snap action, upon movement of the other valve out of engagement with its seat by manual means.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A fluid pressure control valve device comprising a casing having a fluid pressure supply chamber, a fluid pressure delivery chamber, and a third chamber, a choke communication connecting said delivery and third chamber, a passageway connecting said supply and third chambers, a supply valve element comprising a valve for controlling communication through said passageway and having an area greater than that of said passageway exposed to said third chamber, a spring acting on said valve element with force suflicient to hold said valve seated against pressure of fluid in said passageway but less than the force resultant from pressure of fluid in said third chamber acting on said greater area, a fourth chamber, a restricted vent for said fourth chamber, a release valve connected for movement with and of greater area than said supply valve element controlling communication between said delivery chamber and said vent and subject when seated to atmospheric pressure from said vent which opposes pressure in said delivery chamber acting on said release valve plus pressure in said third chamber acting on said supply valve element, and a manually operative lever for selectively unseating either said supply valve or said release valve.

2. A fluid pressure control valve device comprising a casing having a fluid pressure supply chamber, a fluid pressure delivery chamber, and a third chamber, a choked communication connecting said third chamber and said delivery chamber, a passageway having a capacity greater than that of said choked communication connecting said supply and third chambers, a plunger slidably mounted in said casing, a supply valve carried by said plunger and having an area greater than that of said passageway for controlling communication through said passageway between said supply chamber and said third chamber, an exhaust valve seat, an exhaust valve carried by said plunger and having a shouldered area subjected to pressure in said delivery chamber and so disposed as to render such pressure and pressure in said third chamber acting on said supply valve effective to actuate said plunger to move said exhaust valve in the direction of and into engagement with said exhaust valve seat, a vent in said exhaust valve seat for connecting said delivery chamber to atmosphere upon movement of said exhaust valve out of engagement with said seat, and a manually operative lever connected to said Plunger for selectively unseating either said supply valve or said exhaust valve.

3. A fluid pressure control valve device comprising a casing having a fluid pressure supply chamber, a fluid pressure delivery chamber, and

a third chamber, a passageway connecting said supply chamber and said third chamber, a plunger slidably mounted in said casing, a supply valve carried by said plunger and having an area greater than that of said passageway for controlling communication through said passageway, a choked communication connecting said third chamber to said delivery chamber to render a rapid build-up of pressure in said third chamber upon said supply valve opening communicationthrough said passageway, a fourth chamber, a restricted vent for said fourth chamber, an exhaust valve carried by said plunger and having a greater area than said supply valve controlling communication between said delivery chamber and said vent, and when seated. subject on one side to atmospheric pressure and on the other side to the combined force of pressures in said third and delivery chambers, and a manually operative lever connected to said plunger for selectively unseating either said supply valve or said exhaust valve.

ARTHUR J. BENT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Conrader Sept. 19, 1933 Number 

